Splicer



p 1965 o. N. JONES 3,205,918

SPLICER Filed Dec. 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Sept. 14, 1965 o. N. JONES 3,205,918

SPLICER Filed Dec. 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g, m BY United States Patent 3,205,918 SPLICER Ormond N. Jones, Box 566, Oxford, Nebr. Filed Dec. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 246,711 2 Claims. (Cl. 140-119) This invention relates to wire splicing and more particularly it is an object of this invention to provide a wire splicer which is particularly adapted to be received on a fence stretching tool.

A further object is to provide a wire splicing tool which can be used to splice the ends of Wires held by a fence stretcher so that when the stretcher is released, the tension of the wire will be held by the strength of the splice.

More particularly it is an object to provide a splicer having a main frame member to which clamps are movably attached for holding the main portions of the wires and preventing them from being twisted while at the same time end portions of wire disposed between the clamps are twisted to splice them together.

A further object is to provide toggle wrenches as the clamps.

Still another object is to attain the wire twisting by means of a ratchet controlled rotating member having a wire receiving slot therein.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating :a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the wire splicer as it would be seen looking down at its forward side from one end, the main bar of a fence stretcher being shown in dotted lines.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the central portion of the tool showing a wire twisting assembly with the upper portions of a cover of a rotating member broken away and also portions of a handle being broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a view of the portion of the tool shown in FIGURE 2 as it would be seen from the right hand side with half of the rotating member cover removed and the other half broken away.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the wire splicer of this invention is there generally indicated at and as it would be seen looking down at the forward side from one end.

The wire splicer 10 has a frame member 14 which latter is U-shaped in cross section, as best seen in FIGURE 1. The frame member 14 is elongated horizontally and its shape provides an elongated horizontal slot which opens at the upper side 22 of the frame member 14. The purpose of the slot 20 is to receive the main :bar 30 of a wire stretcher. As the wire stretcher itself is not a part of this new invention, only a portion of its main bar is shown in dotted lines.

In accordance with this invention, suitable means is provided for releasably attaching the main bar 30 in the slot 20 to mount the wire splicer 10 on the fence stretcher. One such means is the wing bolt means 30' which latter, as best seen in dotted lines in FIGURE 3, has a shank 40 which is threadedly received through a threaded means 44 attached to the frame member 14 on its forward side 48.

The inner end of the shank 40 is adapted to engage the adjacent side of the main bar 30 of the fence stretcher, inasmuch as the shank 40 can be threadedly screwed into the area of the slot 20.

3,23%,918 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 A pair of clamping means which are preferably toggle wrenches 60 having jaws 62 are disposed in spaced apart positions along the main frame member '14 with the jaws 62 disposed on one side of and spaced from the frame member 14 and its slot 20, preferably being disposed on the upper side of and spaced from the upper side of the frame member 14 and its slot 20 in positions to clamp each of two wires and 82 when the wires have ends disposed between the clamps 60 and other ends disposed respectively extending through respective clamps 60 where they are clamped between the jaw 62 and outwardly to elements of the fence stretcher 30 not shown, which latter are holding the wires 80 and -82 up to the wire sp icer in tensionless condition.

The clamps or toggle wrenches 60 are attached to brackets which latter have portions 92 disposed in parallelism with the forward side of the frame member 14 and bolts 96 extend through the portions 92 horizontally and thereby attach the toggle wrenches or clamps 60 to the frame member 14 in a manner for the swinging of the jaw ends of the wrenches 60 toward and away from each other by pivoting about the bolts 96.

A wire twister or wire twisting mechanism is generally indicated at 100 and has a wire-receiving portion also called a spinner 104 which latter has an exterior portion which is provided with circumferential teeth arranged substantially in a cylindrical configuration with the inner end of a slot extending radially into the spinner 104, being substantially at the axis of the cylindrical configuration defined by the teeth 110. The slot extends parallel with the axis of the said cylindrical configuration and in a direction longitudinally of the elongated main frame member 14 and in a direction disposed generally in alignment between the ends of each toggle wrench at its respective jaw 62 whereby the slot 120 is adapted to receive the inner portions of the wires 80 and 82 which latter lie between the wrenches 60 whereby at a time wire twisting is ready to commence, the inner ends of the wires 80 and 82 extend through the slot 120 each from a different side with the terminal end 120' of the wire 82 extended through the jaws of one toggle wrench 60, through the slot 120 and then through the jaws of the other toggle wrench.

The other wire 80 has its terminal end 124 extending first through and out of the toggle Wrench 60, the s ot 120, and then through that toggle wrench 60 which is on the opposite side of the slot.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the spinner 104 has cylindrical journal portions extending outwardly therefrom on each side which latter are received in cylindrical openings 152 in each of two opposite sides 156 of a case generally indicated at 160. The opposite sides 156 have portions extending downwardly which are secured together by screws or rivets and one of the sides 156 is attached to a handle 172 which latter extends vertically downwardly from the frame member 14 and which is suitably secured to the frame member 14 whereby the handle 172 provides a useful means for holding the wire splicer of this invention at times when it is not convenient to fix it to the main frame member or main bar 30 of the fence stretcher.

Referring again to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that the casing sections 156 each have a recess therein which has a cylindrical surface 194 which is coaxial with the spinner journals 150.

On each side of the generally cylindrical teeth 110 of the spinner 104 are two cylindrical sections of the spinner 104 which can be called side sections. These side sections are of a greater circumference than the cylindrical row of teeth 110, but of a lesser circumference than the cylindrical walls 194 of the recesses 190 whereby the space between the side portions 104 and the cylindrical walls 194 is filled with an arcuate guide portion 202 of a ratchet member generally indicated at 204 which latter has a handle 210 attached to the guide member 202. That portion of the handle 210 which is adjacent the arcuate guide portion 202 extends outwardly through an opening 216 between inner ends of the spinner case sections 156.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be seen that an upper end of the handle 204 has a vertical recess 240 therein in which a pawl 244 is received and pivotally attached thereto by means of a pin 246 which latter is disposed in parallelism with the axis of the spinner journals 150.

The pawl 244 has a pointed inner portion 248 which latter is adapted to engage in the row of teeth 110.

A spring assembly 260 is attached to the handle 210 and presses against the pawl 244 to hold it in engagement with the teeth 110.

On the inner side 264 of the tool as seen in FIGURE 3, there are recesses 27f in the sections 156 which latter receive a dog 290 therein which has a forward end 292 disposed in engagement with the teeth 110 and a rearward end swingable on a pivot pin 294 fixed to the sections 156 of the case, the pin 294 being parallel to the axis of the spinner journals A spring mechanism 293 fixed to the case sections 156 urges the dog 292 against the teeth 110.

As thus described, it will be seen that in operation, a movement of the handle 210 in the rearward direction of the arrows 330 in FIGURES 1 and 2, will cause the spinner 104 to rotate counterclockwise as shown at the arrow 340 in FIGURE 3 to cause a twisting of the wires 80 and 82 at times when they are clamped in the respective jaws of the wrenches 60.

After the wires 80 and 82 are thoroughly twisted, the wrenches 60 can be released and the wing bolt means 30 can be released for sliding the U-shaped frame member downwardly off of the main bar 30 of the fence stretcher or conversely the splicer can be left on the fence stretcher, if desired.

It is believed that this invention has fulfilled the objectives above set forth in providing a superior wire splicer and it will be seen that during the period when the wires are being twisted the jaw ends of the clamps or wrenches 60 are free to move toward each other inwardly toward the twister 100 as is desirable since the wire portions disposed between the wrenches 60 will be shortened by the twisting.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a splicer constructed in accordance with vmy invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention can be changed and modified without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice,'except as claimed.

I claim:

1. A wire splicer having an elongated frame member,

a pair of clamping means spaced apart longitudinally of said frame member, said clamping means each having jaws disposed on one side of and spaced from said frame member in positions to clamp each of two wires respectively when said wires are extending in general parallelism with said frame member, means movably mounting each clamping means on said frame member such that the jaws of said clamping means can move toward each other, and wire twisting means mounted on said frame member between said clamping means and having a wire receiving portion on the same side of said frame member as said clamping jaws,,said frame member having an elongated fence stretcher main bar-receiving recess therein, said recess having an elongated opening facing a side of said frame member which is disposed in a direction normal to the elongation of said recess, and said recess also being open at its raised ends, said recess being free of any elements preventing reception of the main bar of a fence stretcher therein.

1 2. The combination of claim 1 in which said wire twisting means comprises a central rotating member having a wire receiving slot radially extended thereinto and having circumferential teeth arranged in generally cylindrical configuration, a mounting rotatably mounting said central rotating member, and ratchet and lever means movably mounted on said mounting for applying a rotating force upon said rotating member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 572,349 12/96 Morrow l40l23.6 902,389 10/08 Fodor -119 CHARLES w. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WIRE SPLICER HAVING AN ELONGATED FRAME MEMBER, A PAIR OF CLAMPING MEANS SPACED APART LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID FRAME MEMBER, SAID CLAMPING MEANS EACH HAVING JAWS DISPOSED ON ONE SIDE OF AND SPACED FROM SAID FRAME MEMBER IN POSITIONS TO CLAMP EACH OF TWO WIRES RESPECTIVELY WHEN SAID WIRES ARE EXTENDING IN GENERAL PARALLELISM WITH SAID FRAME MEMBER, MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTING EACH CLAMPING MEANS ON SAID FRAME MEMBER SUCH THAT THE JAWS OF SAID CLAMPING MEANS CAN MOVE TOWARD EACH OTHER, AND WIRE TWISTING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME MEMBER BETWEEN SAID CLAMPING MEANS AND HAVING A WIRE RECEIVING PORTION ON THE SAME SIDE OF SAID FRAME MEMBER AS SAID CLAMPING JAWS, SAID FRAME MEMBER HAVING AN ELONGATED 